Hiishawk
Registered User
For what it's worth, here's my final version of who I think SHOULD be the top 60 in the upcoming draft. This is not a prediction. I've commented only on those players who are ranked somewhat differently than elsewhere.
As usual, I've combined my own viewings with those of trsuted, respected sources. I also admit that my knowledge of NCAA, USHS, and US Jr. leagues is largely restricted to second-hand info.
1. Crosby
2. Johnson
3. Pouliot
4. Brule
5. Ryan
6. Price
7. Kopitar
8. McArdle- Simply put, I don't see any weaknesses in his game. The Pouliot (read: surprise with big, fat upside) of the WHL
9. O' Marra
10. Bourdon
11. Hanzal
12. Staal
13. Bourret
14. Rask
15. Zagrapan
16. (error- move all players below this up one slot)
17. Karpov- He will go later due to underexposure and reluctance to draft Rusians under new agreement (or lack thereof)
18. Setoguchi
19. Latendresse
20. Niskanen- Totally on hearsay on this one
21. Bergfors
22. Mikkelson- Love the skating!
23. Pavelec
24. Mikus- One of the top offensive threats of this draft.
25. Parent
26. Skille- I don't see it yet- up 'n down pro, ok. Star? Hmmm.
27. Stoa
28. Istomin- Will go later due to Russian situation- BUT has star potential.
29. Vojta- Big upside, big risk
30. Lee
31. Lashoff
32. Starkov- Another very underexposed player with a big upside.
33. Bertram
34. Downie- He will not allow himself to NOT be a meaningful NHLer.
35. Cogliano- I question his type of play at the NHL level.
36. Smolenak
37. Sauer- Without the injuries a 1st round selection would have been warranted
38. Abeldaker- 2nd hand info only
39. Kindl- An even bigger risk than Vojta IMO
40. Durand- What happened to the scoring touch?
41. Trukhno
42. Vincent
43. Roy- A real battler and leader- underrated
44. Jackson
45. Dupont- I'll bet $$ that he becomes a 3rd line character guy and steady playoff performer in the big leagues.
46. Lehtonen- Another Euro who could go either way.
47. McQuaid
48. Finley
49. Korhonen
50. M. Hellstrom- The best of the non-1st time eligibles for this draft.
51. Frazee
52. Neal
53. Buravchikov
54. Svobotka- His spunk and passion c/w talent will get him to the show.
55. Ryder
56. Kudelka
57. Plante
58. Bailey
60. Mielonen
30 more (not in order) for the 3rd round:
Zubarev, Anikeenko, Belov, Mihalik, Lindgren, Hjalmarsson, Kohn, Fritsche, Pokulok, Stastny, Pospisil, Lavalee, Blunden, Levassuer, Kalus (new #60), Skorykh, Zubov, P. Davis, Macias, Bartulis, Hensick, McNeill, Pyatt, Dahlberg, May, Jones, Fraser, Pelech, Aubin, Gragnani.
And to make it a nice round 100 who I think could play some in the NHL add:
Lelkes, Shirokov, Ritola, Krysanov, Brophy, Yandle, Bumagin, Bartanus, Kosistsyn, Raymond, Denny.
So, there's your day one picks IF I was doing the picking.
I could be way off on the NCAA and USHS/JR guys. Names like Kanus, N. Davis and Bishop exist only on paper for me. Injured players like Sundstrom and Gauthier could end up being factors too, especially the former. So could small guys like Petterson, Letang, Russell, Gerbe. As a smallish guy myself I hope they end up making this list.
And I know that Zubov and Laakso are absent from this list. I'm not a fan.
As usual, I've combined my own viewings with those of trsuted, respected sources. I also admit that my knowledge of NCAA, USHS, and US Jr. leagues is largely restricted to second-hand info.
1. Crosby
2. Johnson
3. Pouliot
4. Brule
5. Ryan
6. Price
7. Kopitar
8. McArdle- Simply put, I don't see any weaknesses in his game. The Pouliot (read: surprise with big, fat upside) of the WHL
9. O' Marra
10. Bourdon
11. Hanzal
12. Staal
13. Bourret
14. Rask
15. Zagrapan
16. (error- move all players below this up one slot)
17. Karpov- He will go later due to underexposure and reluctance to draft Rusians under new agreement (or lack thereof)
18. Setoguchi
19. Latendresse
20. Niskanen- Totally on hearsay on this one
21. Bergfors
22. Mikkelson- Love the skating!
23. Pavelec
24. Mikus- One of the top offensive threats of this draft.
25. Parent
26. Skille- I don't see it yet- up 'n down pro, ok. Star? Hmmm.
27. Stoa
28. Istomin- Will go later due to Russian situation- BUT has star potential.
29. Vojta- Big upside, big risk
30. Lee
31. Lashoff
32. Starkov- Another very underexposed player with a big upside.
33. Bertram
34. Downie- He will not allow himself to NOT be a meaningful NHLer.
35. Cogliano- I question his type of play at the NHL level.
36. Smolenak
37. Sauer- Without the injuries a 1st round selection would have been warranted
38. Abeldaker- 2nd hand info only
39. Kindl- An even bigger risk than Vojta IMO
40. Durand- What happened to the scoring touch?
41. Trukhno
42. Vincent
43. Roy- A real battler and leader- underrated
44. Jackson
45. Dupont- I'll bet $$ that he becomes a 3rd line character guy and steady playoff performer in the big leagues.
46. Lehtonen- Another Euro who could go either way.
47. McQuaid
48. Finley
49. Korhonen
50. M. Hellstrom- The best of the non-1st time eligibles for this draft.
51. Frazee
52. Neal
53. Buravchikov
54. Svobotka- His spunk and passion c/w talent will get him to the show.
55. Ryder
56. Kudelka
57. Plante
58. Bailey
60. Mielonen
30 more (not in order) for the 3rd round:
Zubarev, Anikeenko, Belov, Mihalik, Lindgren, Hjalmarsson, Kohn, Fritsche, Pokulok, Stastny, Pospisil, Lavalee, Blunden, Levassuer, Kalus (new #60), Skorykh, Zubov, P. Davis, Macias, Bartulis, Hensick, McNeill, Pyatt, Dahlberg, May, Jones, Fraser, Pelech, Aubin, Gragnani.
And to make it a nice round 100 who I think could play some in the NHL add:
Lelkes, Shirokov, Ritola, Krysanov, Brophy, Yandle, Bumagin, Bartanus, Kosistsyn, Raymond, Denny.
So, there's your day one picks IF I was doing the picking.
I could be way off on the NCAA and USHS/JR guys. Names like Kanus, N. Davis and Bishop exist only on paper for me. Injured players like Sundstrom and Gauthier could end up being factors too, especially the former. So could small guys like Petterson, Letang, Russell, Gerbe. As a smallish guy myself I hope they end up making this list.
And I know that Zubov and Laakso are absent from this list. I'm not a fan.
Last edited: